* Outlay of Rs.60,100 crore during 2012-13, the highest ever.

* Railways will require Rs.14 lakh crore in the next 10 years for modernisation.

* Aim to bring down operating ratio from 90 percent to 84.9 percent in 2012-13 and to 72 percent by 2016-17.

* Time has come for formulating national policy for railways on the lines of that for defence and external affairs.

* Railways should grow at 10 percent annually for sustained GDP growth.

* Railways to invest Rs.7.35 lakh crore during 12th Five Year Plan period (2012-17), a quantum jump from the Rs.1.92 lakh crore invested in previous plan period.

* Railways must attract 10 percent of the Rs.20 lakh crore government expects to spend on infrastructure during 12th Plan.

* Railways expect gross budgetary support of Rs.2.5 lakh crore during 12th Plan.

* Collective challenge to formulate viable funding mechanism for modernisation.

* Railways should contribute 2 percent of GDP from the present 1 percent.

* Stress on strengthening safety. Has to be be benchmarked with the best in the world.

* Target of reducing accidents from 0.55 to 0.17 has been met.

* Special purpose vehicle to be set up on safety protocols.

* Independent railway safety authority to be set up as statutory safety body.

* Investment of Rs.5.60 lakh crore required for modernisation.

New Delhi, Feb 25 (IANS) More highlights from Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee’s budget presented in the Lok Sabha Friday:

* Safety first priority; accident rate has come down.

* Decision to start pilot projects to give shelter to homeless people.

* Outlay of 57,630 crore for 2011-12, the highest investment in one year.

* Rs.10,000 crore to be raised through railway bonds.

* Pradhan Mantri Rail Vikas Yojna to be launched.

* Industrial park to be set up in Nandigram, West Bengal.

* Fund to be created for socially desirable projects.

* First coach from Rai Bareli factory in next three months.

* Work on wagon factory in Orissa to begin after land is acquired.

* Railways to set up factory in Jammu and Kashmir.

* To set up Metro coach factory at Singur, West Bengal.

* Manipur to be soon connected to railway network.

* Centre for excellence in software to be set up at Darjeeling.

* Combines strong economic focus along with inclusion.

* Develop business-oriented policies to aid industry.

* Happy to announce through 85 PPP proposals received; set up single-window system to take these forward.

* Decide to set-up rail-based industries.